Top 5 World Cup cricket gaffes

Moving on from our top five lists for the World Cup, this one talks about the top five gaffes made in the tournaments over the years.

Mike Gatting reverse sweep, 1987 World Cup:
It was the final of the 1987 World Cup and England were going rather well. Running short of ideas, Allan Border brought himself on to bowl the slow variety of part-time left-arm spin. Mike Gatting tried to reverse sweep the first ball he faced and could only get a top-edge that wicket-keeper Greg Dyer held easily. The rest of the side failed to live up and Australia went on to win the World Cup.

The rain rule, 1992 World Cup:
It was probably the worst rule used ever to decide on the target for the team batting second in a rain-affected. A loss of three overs from the side batting second could result in no change in the target if the team batting first had played out three maiden overs in their innings. This meant that in the semi-final between South Africa and England, the former needed 22 to win from 13 balls before eight minutes of rain meant that the target was reduce to 21 from one. >

India field after winning toss, 1996 World Cup:
By the time the semi-final of the 1996 World Cup had come around, all teams had become so wary of Sri Lanka’s chasing abilities that it wasn’t funny. India won the toss in the semi-finals at Eden Gardens and fielded first – that on a pitch that was crumbling. Sri Lanka scored nearly 250 and once Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed, the rest of the Indian side collapsed on a track which was horrible to bat on. >

Allan Donald run-out, 1999 World Cup:
Another one involving South Africa. Nine were needed to win the semi-final against Australia with only a wicket remaining but the first two balls of the last over were bulleted away to the fence. With one required, there was a near run-out chance before Lance Klusener and Allan Donald were involved in another misunderstanding and the side was bowled out. Previous results meant that South Africa were bundled out of the tournament.

Wrong reading of par total, South Africa, 2003 World Cup
South Africa did it again. It was a must-win game for them against Sri Lanka and with the rain around the corner, the scoreboard said that the par total was six runs away at the end of the over. Mark Boucher hit a six and patted the next delivery out before it started pelting. Thinking that they had won, Boucher came off with a pumped fist to only realise later that par score meant the score required to tie. It didn’t stop raining and South Africa were knocked out of their home World Cup.